Detectives from the Ethics and Anti- Corruption Commission (EACC) has arrested Rongo Member of Parliament (MP) Paul Abuor arrested for grilling.
Abuor was arrested on Thursday January 23 over claims of graft at the constituency fund after raids on his rural and Nairobi homes.
Operation was contemporaneously undertaken in the various premises linked to the legislator in Nairobi and Homabay counties.
“EACC confirms that today, Thursday, 23rd January 2025, the Commission conducted a successful investigative operation targeting the Member of Parliament (MP) for Rongo Constituency Paul Odalo Mark, who is under investigation for alleged conflict of interest and theft of public funds,” EACC said.
The commission said this is in relation to the award of tenders worth Ksh 122 million by the Rongo National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) to companies associated with him during the Financial Year (FY) 2017/2018 to 2024/2025.
Preliminary investigations established that Abuor, together with one Christopher Nelson Abuor registered a private company by the name Aztec Infrastructure Kenya Ltd as Directors.
“Using this company, the suspect trades with Rongo Constituency NG-CDF through construction of classrooms and drilling of boreholes and has so far received Ksh 122 million. He is the sole signatory to the Company Bank Account,” said the commission.
Why Paul Aduor was Arrested
EACC added, “The MP has through his Personal Assistant registered another company by the name Jebset Holdings Limited. Through this company, the Personal Assistant has been paid Ksh 19.6 million by Rongo Constituency NG-CDF. The Personal Assistant is the sole Director and signatory to the Company Bank Account.”
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EACC said the Rongo Constituency matter is part of broader investigations by the Commission into numerous reports of embezzlement of public funds under the NG-CDF, National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF), Women Enterprise Fund and other devolved funds.
“The embezzlement is perpetrated largely through conflict of interest, multi-million payments for services not rendered and payroll fraud involving ghost workers,” the statement from EACC read further.
“Following the operation, the suspect was arrested and brought to EACC Headquarters at Integrity Centre where he is currently recording a statement.”
The Commission further urged State Officers to desist from abusing their positions of trust and authority to the detriment of the very citizens they were elected or appointed to serve.
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This comes two days after the lawmaker proposed the amendment of the Public Finance Management (Amendment) Bill, 2024, which aims to improve the efficiency of managing conditional allocations to county governments by eliminating duplication and streamlining the transfer process.
Paul Abuor emphasized that any state officer found to have diverted funds from these accounts would face severe consequences, including dismissal and a jail term.
“All funds disbursed by the National Treasury to ministries and state departments, state agencies, and parastatals for approved projects shall be deposited in the designated project-specific bank accounts,” reads the Bill.
According to Abuor, the accounts will be managed exclusively for the project they are intended for.
He further explained that any officer who misuses funds from these accounts will be penalized with a fine equivalent to 150 percent of the misused amount.
“The fine is recoverable as a debt owed to the government. In addition, the officer will face immediate suspension and potential dismissal, subject to an investigation. The officer shall be liable to a term of imprisonment not exceeding five years upon conviction,” the bill read further.
Abuor was among the seven ODM Members of Parliament who were marked as party ‘rebels’ after President William Ruto hosted them in September 2023.
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